IT was a busy Saturday morning for the Barry Island parkrun team as they tried a new course for the first time, after 158 previous runs, and hosted a parkrun celebration for this year’s 70th anniversary of the NHS.

With the increasing popularity of the Island for hosting weekend events, there are occasions when these overlap with the Saturday morning parkrun.

In most cases, a switch to an alternative course means both can go ahead, but this weekend’s sizeable armed forces parade looked likely to mean a rare parkrun cancellation.

However, the parkrun event directors worked closely with the Vale of Glamorgan Council to develop a new, scenic course, using Nell’s Point and the coast path towards Jackson’s Bay, leaving the promenade and gardens free for other events.

Not to disappoint runners, the new 3 lap course still included their favourite ascent of ‘Heartbreak Hill’ near the Coastwatch station.

To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the NHS, the Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton joined other runners, walkers and volunteers at Barry Island.

parkrun UK had collaborated with the NHS to help celebrate their 70th anniversary by hosting special parkrun events across the UK, as part of parkrun’s mission to encourage participation to make the world a healthier and happier place.

Hundreds of parkruns take place in parks and open spaces across Wales and the rest of the UK every Saturday. The community-led events are designed for people of all ages and abilities - including walkers - and are all free of charge.

Prior to the start, runners and volunteers warmed up by organising themselves with letters in English and Welsh to (eventually) spell out the messages ‘Happy Anniversary NHS Wales.

Thank you’ and ‘Penblwydd Hapus GIG Cymru. Diolch’. Spontaneous applause followed for the NHS, with cheers for the NHS staff present, several of whom had turned up in their NHS uniforms to run or volunteer.

There were two significant milestone announcements, with Richie Williams doing his 100th parkrun and Paul Kehl, his 101st, having kept it quiet the previous week. Paul and Richie completed the majority of their 100 runs at Barry Island and are also regular volunteers, in both cases with members of their families.

The day’s run director, Lyn Evans introduced Dr Atherton, who before making his way to the start line said: “Participating in your local parkrun is a great way to get fit, for free.

"As a nation, we need to be healthier and more active to help reduce the risk of a range of conditions such as obesity, heart disease and to improve our mental health.

"These are issues that are putting pressure on the NHS, but that we can take steps ourselves to try and improve.”

In the bright sunshine, and to the unusual accompaniment of a bagpipe band, who were tuning-up in the Nell’s Point car park, 146 people ran, jogged and walked the new course, 23 of whom were first time visitors.

10 of these were taking part in their very first parkrun. Representatives of 21 different clubs took part, with visitors including runners from Massey Ferguson RC (Coventry), London Heathside, Overton Harriers & AC and Run4All Neath.

On the new course, personal best times seemed harder to come by than usual, with just 11 this week.

Some of the highlights included junior Rebecca George (21:59), tourist Matthew Evans (23:29), regular Joe Turner (23:32), David Hawker (25:37) and Tracey Moreton (34:39).

The PBs again spanned the range of finish times, ages and genders in this week’s results, full details of which can be found on the event website at: www.parkrun.org.uk/barryisland.

The safe and efficient run on the new course was made possible by a team of 28 volunteers: Mandy Barrington, Yvonne Williams, Lyn Evans, Tracy Elliston, Sophie Gott, Claire Thorne, Peter Havard, Cameron Large, Kirstine Hughes, Helen Archer, Leanne Gallagher, Sue Gershenson, Karen Spence, Debbie Williams, Sarah Brooks, Chloe Brooks, Jason Elworthy, Joanne Bagwell, Hilary James, Christine Thomas, Frank Atherton, Linda Chapple, Sarah Thomas, Louise George, Emma White, Ted Arbuthnot, Chris Barnsley and Kayleigh Thomas.

With a busy few weekends on the Island, the rest of June will see all three variants of the parkrun course used in successive weeks.

None of them will feature the sizeable bar that was set-up on Saturday morning near the usual start and finish area under the Eastern shelter.

It was a pleasantly warm Sunday morning at Romilly Park for the 40th Barry junior parkrun. Another good turn-out saw 49 runners aged between 4 and 14 take to the two lap 2km course around the park, supported by the enthusiastic volunteer team under Run Director Denise Aplin’s leadership.

The event team were delighted to welcome 3 new runners to the course for the very first time, whilst 9 juniors recorded a new personal best time - Rebecca George (7:54), Harry Osborne (9:10), Owen Keegan (10:04), Libby Taylor (10:26), Archie Yeo (10:53), Ellis Avaient (11:18), Harrison Marvelley (11:30), Maisie Whitehouse (12:33) and Luke Williams (13:42).

For first finisher Rebecca George, it was her seventh personal best time in succession. Kaitlyn Stephens was presented with her half-marathon wristband for completing 11 junior parkruns.

Barry junior parkrun is a free timed run for 4 to 14 year olds taking place over a 2 lap, 2km course within Romilly Park every Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m.

Find out more on the run website at: www.parkrun.org.uk/barry-juniors.

Barry Island parkrun is a free, weekly 5km timed run and is open to anyone of any ability from age 4 upwards - runners, joggers, walkers and volunteers alike.

It starts at 9am every Saturday morning at Barry Island promenade, normally under the Eastern shelter.

Find out more on the run website at: www.parkrun.org.uk/barryisland.